Can McLaren Win Another Miami Grand Prix?
- adriana
- 10 hours ago
- 3 min read
The Miami Grand Prix takes place on May 4 and it could well be another success for McLaren. Last year their driver Lando Norris won the race but it’s his teammate Oscar Piastri who looks the driver to beat this year.
Image by Adriaan Greyling
This is the fourth time the Miami Grand Prix has been held. The first two of them were both won by the current world champion Max Verstappen in his Red Bull. The Dutchman won the title last year by 63 points from Lando Norris and won seven races. However, he failed to win in Miami or in any of the final nine races of the season.
His struggles have continued in 2025 and has a real battle on his hands to retain his title. It’s McLaren who are proving to be the team to beat this season with three of the first four races won and a commanding lead in the constructors’ championship.
This race isn’t just important for those who are racing around the track. F1 wants to make it big in the USA and that is something they are gradually achieving. This year will see not just the Miami Grand Prix being held but two other races. The United States Grand Prix takes place in Austin on October 19. Then all eyes will be on Las Vegas on November 23 as the best cars in the world make their way around the street circuit.
Image by Mauricio K
F1 has tried its best to introduce the sport’s stars to the American public. The Netflix docuseries ‘Formula One: Drive to Survive’ was produced with the intention of allowing Amercans to discover more about the top stars in the sport. That has led to increased viewing figures for the sport.
Who therefore might win this year’s Miami Grand Prix. After the two wins for Max Verstappen in 2022 and 2023, his bid to complete a hat-trick All was going well as the Championship leader won the sprint race and then secured pole position for Sunday’s race.
Verstappen built up a good lead and the odds were shortening on him winning a third Miami Grand Prix. However, a collision between Magnussen and Sargeant led to a safety car having to be employed and that totally changed the nature of the race.
Lando Norris had the chance to get new tyres on his McLaren and that saw him take over as race leader, a position he held until the chequered flag. That certainly shows how unpredictable betting on F1 can be with anything likely to happen to change the situation even when a driver has a big lead.
A lot has changed in the past year and it’s now McLaren who are at the top of the drivers’ and constructors’ tables. Oscar Piastra could only finish 13th in the 2024 Miami Grand Prix. A front wing replacement and further lockups didn’t help his cause. He was even told over the radio to cut his aggression as the fear was it could lead to another safety car situation and affect the lead his teammate had.
Image by Jonathan Borba
After he won the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, Piastri was only even money to win his first world title. Lando Norris was just behind him based on the current sportsbook offers and odds, according to offers bet. Max Verstappen is available to turn the tide and win another world title.
Betting on sport has become incredibly popular in the US in recent years. After a US Supreme Court Judge ruling in 2018, individual states were given the final say on whether or not to change their gambling laws.
New Jersey were at the front of the campaign to change the law. Not long after the Supreme Court ruling they went ahead and passed the legislation required to make online sports betting legal.
The years that have followed have been extremely successful for the US gambling industry. The huge amounts gambled have not just helped the industry but US states are delighted with the much-needed revenue that has been received in gambling taxes.
In March, the total sports betting handle was $1.11 billion. Since August 2024, only February this year has seen a handle of below $1 billion. Even then it was only $11 million short of that figure. At this time of the year though with the NFL season ending, figures do tend to fall. That’s why big events such as the Miami Grand Prix are important with the hope the race will bring in lots of bets.
The Miami Grand Prix has already become a huge success. This year has seen more competitive and exciting races. Another great Grand Prix looks likely in May.
